Car Polish FAQ Part 1

How to prevent oxidation?

For the most part, oxidation can only take place when the surface of your car’s finish has deteriorated from abuse or neglect to the point where the once impermeable surface has become permeable and then left unprotected. Deterioration is caused by, neglect, washing with detergent washes (dish soap), the leaching and drying-out effect due to repeated exposure to inclement weather, baking in hot sun, natural wear and tear, and through the natural process of breaking down. (Law of Entropy)

The best way to prevent oxidation is to,

  • Always wash your vehicles finish using a non-detergent, premium car wash specifically formulated for automotive finishes.
  • Add a protective coating of wax, (natural, synthetic, or blended) to your finish a minimum of 3-4 times a year. The most important thing you can do to prevent oxidation besides washing is to protect the paint you presently have with a protective coating. A good protective coating will act as a barrier-film that will prevent moisture from coming into direct contact with your paint.
  • Remove pore-imbedding stains (contaminants in the paint) by using a premium paint cleaner or cleaner polish at least once a year and more often if needed.
  • Whenever possible, park under cover.

Use a car cover to shield against airborne contamination and UV rays

Should I Prep My Paint Before Waxing?

The way to determine whether or not your car’s finish needs any pre-wax prep work is to evaluate the surface, immediately after washing. A thorough surface evaluation will help you to determine whether or not you need to remove above surface defects such as bonded contaminants with a clay bar, or below surface defects such as swirls, scratches, oxidation and pore-imbedding stains.

Just because your paint has no major scratches or other obvious signs of damage doesn’t mean that your finish is as flawlessly smooth as when your car was show room new. There are many kinds of subtle surface defects that if not corrected, can prevent you from restoring that perfect gloss.

There are two primary kinds of surface defects to look for, Above Surface Contaminants, and Below Surface Defects.

Above Surface Contaminants

Below Surface Defects
  • Road film
  • Bug splatter
  • Road tar
  • Tree sap mist
  • Dirt and dust
  • Fresh bird droppings
  • Baked on bird dropping
  • Overspray
  • Air-borne pollution
  • Mineral deposits
  • Random, isolated scratches
  • Cobweb-effect
  • Buffer Swirl
  • Oxidation
  • Pore imbedding stains
  • Chemical etching
  • Acid rain spots
  • Etching from bird droppings


How do I perform a Surface Evaluation?

You’ll want to inspect the surface both visually, as well as by physically using your sense of touch. Sometimes your sense of touch can reveal defects the eyes cannot see.

Above surface defects can safely be removed using one of Meguiar’s clay bars together with one of Meguiar’s spray lubricants like Quik Detailer, or Final Inspection.

First, wash and dry your vehicle. Then look along your paint surface at an angle while noting the depth and richness of the color.

Search for:

  • Swirl marks
  • Scratches
  • Etched areas
  • Fading
  • Dulling
  • Oxidation
  • Overspray

A photographer’s loupe or magnifying glass will make it even easier to identify any problem areas. Ideally, do this in bright sunlight as well as under strong indoor lights because some defects show up best under specific types of lighting conditions.To find bonded contaminants that your eyes may have missed, slowly slide the face of your clean, dry hand along the surface of your car’s finish after washing and drying your car. The surface should feel as smooth as glass.

Any surface irregularities you do feel are bonded contaminants that must be removed before polishing or waxing. The best way to remove above surface bonded contaminants is to use Meguiar’s Smooth Surface TM Clay Kit. The advanced polyclay technology used to make our clay bar together with the high lubrication characteristics of our Quik Detailer enables you to easily and safely remove even the most tenacious contaminants while gently protecting your paint from harm.

Car Polish FAQ Part 2